French luxury brand Balmain is taking itself to greater heights this coming year by acknowledging its past. Creative Director Olivier Rousteing announced that 2019 will see the fashion house returning to Couture Week after 16 years of hiatus.
Rousteing, who held the position in 2011 when he was just 25 years old, is credited for making Balmain not only familiar but also accessible to new consumers, perhaps because of his very connection with the youth. Some of his collaborations, such as a capsule collection for Victoria’s Secret last year, have brought wider recognition to Balmain. The partnership between the lingerie brand and the label was an unprecedented move that is now followed by an exclusive Mary Katrantzou collaboration. Rousteing himself is an icon who mingles with other celebrities, among them Rihanna and Kim Kardashian, and has a large following on Instagram (it’s 5 million as of this writing, in case you’re wondering).
But his popularity with the social media generation and his youth does not mean that he has no appreciation for the past. When the designer said that they will be bringing back couture to Balmain, it was for the purpose of making the Parisian DNA a stronger part of the brand. He has indicated this since he took over Christophe Decarnin who concentrated on turning Balmain more modern, sacrificing classic in the process. Tailoring was just as important to the current creative director as it is to the founder whose name was lent to the maison.
Although the collection would be the first since 2002, which was when Oscar de la Renta stepped down from the position Rousteing now holds, the creative director has already made couture pieces for celebs before. Among his most recent creations was Jennifer Lopez’ Met Gala 2018 getup—glamorous, bejeweled and even risqué, impactful yet not surprising considering who is behind it. Balmain has high hopes for what couture will bring to the brand, even though it has heavily depended on its ready-to-wear collection in the past.
In preparation for couture’s return to Balmain, Rousteing has introduced some changes. For one, he has brought more designers who have and can work on couture. He will also be opting for a more intimate show at the house’s store at Rue St. Honoré instead of the loud and glitzy ones we’ve been used to seeing with Balmain. In his interview with Vogue, the designer said, “couture is more about introspection…. I want to go back to those Paris salon shows of the 1960s and 1970s. The world is going really fast, and that’s great, but it’s important to find the balance. My balance can be the haute couture. And doing this show… it’s also a way of saying thank you to all those who’ve helped and supported me in the last eight years.” By doing couture, Rousteing sees himself pushing the limits, as well as bringing it to the crowd he has already won over: the new generation.
Rousteing say that beauty, fragrances and accessories are also in the horizon for the brand. Even though the designer was already Balmain’s lead in more than half a decade now, it seems that he still has more surprises in store for the brand’s ardent admirers.
Balmain Articles & Collection
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Image credits: Elizaveta Porodina, Gerard Fouet, Joel Robine, Thierry Orban, Pierre Vauthey/Corbis, John Shearer, Getty Images, Shutterstock
